Crystal River current., 1887-08-06

stopping her in time.
| The flag was firmly tied up as a
parcel, together with box OF detona-
tors. Grauard found to his annoy
ance, that he had no knife with him;
and, tug as he would, he could neither
break or undo the stout cords which
bound them together. After running
about hundred yards he overlook
u passenger running i'll the same direc-
lion, whom he at once recognized as
| the man he had Just elected from the
| carriage.
"Lend me your knife!" he cried hasti-
ly. The man replied with an ejacula-
| ton which showed he had evidently
not yet recovered from his fright.
"Your knife to cut this"' Granard
| roared, as he ran beside him.
"What a mercy we weren't killed."
| simpered the lunatic. Granard grip
pei his arm viciously, and shook him
till he realized the situation and hand
ed out his knife. 1t was the work OF
but u few seconds to cut the cords
and return the knife; then throwing
away the green and the white flags.
Granard sprang ahead, now full OF
stronger hope that he might get dis
lance enough between himself and the
wreck to enable the coming express to
| stop.
He was soon clear of the deep, curv-
| ed cutting in which the disaster had
| occurred, and passed on to long en-
| bankment, from which q wide stretch
OF country could be viewed. He look
ed anxiously in the direction of the
| line, and presently espied among some
| distant trees q thin streak of steam.
evidently issuing from an advancing
| train.
1t was the express! What if the
driver failed to see his signal! He sick
ened Mt the thought. But he should
hear If he did not see. There was yet
full minute.
He tore open the donator-box, and,
rapidly uni llding the leaden chips, fit
ted some half dozen OF the little
discs on the rail us he ran. Then he
saw the approaching train, advancing
at a terrific pace, swing round q bend
in the line ahead. and come into full
view. He had just then reached n
small bridge which carried the rail-
way over n lane below. He leaped off
to the bridge parapet to make him
sell more conspicuous, and excitedly
waved the red flag OF danger up and
down. The drivers keen eyes espied
The warning signal while his train was
yet some two or three hundred yards
IRON it, and Instantly shut ting off the
steam. he sounded three hoarse blasts
on the brake whistle to which the
guards promptly responded by APP
plying their brakes with all their
strength. 1t was o grand sight! Tie
| magnificent engine full oflife and glow
| ing with color, came tearing alonga the
very top of her speed; then suddenly
| the majestic stream of white cloud.
which had been gracefully sailing in
her wake, disappeared, and she, as if
her wheels had all at once been paraI-
wed, began to culver like a thing in
lear. A cloud OF dust arose from the
line. and q shower of sparks flew out
from the rails over which the wheels
were now rolling unwlllipgly. or not
at all, while the guards vans behind
| were carried aloHo with their wheels
perfectly still. immovabIy skidded
and scattering, as ii in INDIGNANT pro
test, q simmer of sparks though the
thick black dust which was rising
from the ground below them.
"Thaiik God! it's done! breathed
Granard to himself. as he fell rather
than stepped from his elevated
position. For q moment he sat on
the ground, for he could not stand;
every limb was trembling and every
nerve quiverlng; though until the sig
| nal had been seen he had known no
lack of nerve or muscle. But now
that his task was done, and the train
was saved, he found himself all
at once exhausted and PROSTATE.
He saw that the train had stop
ped, and that the guards We're com
inr back to him. He shook himself
together and walked unsteadily to-
ward them. His throat was too parch-
ed to speak, but he pointed forward
toward the cutting, and passed for
Ma to ah the e dEer w saean ne gG hen
he found voice to say, ''The Scud's
come to grief" They all stood aghast.